Alan Titchmarsh Ground Force 1996

Alan Titchmarsh at his first Chelsea Flower show in 1985 with the Queen

Alan Titchmarsh at his first Chelsea Flower Show in 1985 with the Queen

Alan Titchmarsh 1975

Alan Titchmarsh 1975

Alan Titchmarsh: 50 Years of Gardening 19/05/14 - 31/08/14

A personal history of the modern garden in 101 objects

Gardener, writer, broadcaster and Garden Museum Trustee, Alan Titchmarsh will select 101 objects which tell the recent history of gardens and gardening in Britain. The interpretation of the objects will aim to tell a lively history of people, their gardens and gardening, peppered with related biographical narratives from Alan Titchmarsh’s experiences.

The exhibition will include tools, artefacts, and ephemera, but also works of art. There will be a particular emphasis upon the changes which have taken place since the 1960s, when Titchmarsh became a teenage apprentice in the municipal nursery in his home town of Ilkley Grove. A major theme of the exhibition will be how garden centres, television and plastic flowerpots have changed our gardens forever, and yes we will include decking!

Alan will also reflect on the impact of the media during this period, including the first gardening celebrities and television shows.

Alan Titchmarsh MBE VMH DL was born and brought up in Ilkley Grove in Yorkshire. He became an apprentice gardener at 15 before undertaking training at horticultural college and at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

He left Kew to pursue a career as a horticultural journalist - becoming a freelance broadcaster and writer. Alan has written almost 40 gardening books and 6 novels.

Alan presented the Chelsea Flower Show from 1983 - 2013. His other TV credits include: BBC2’s ‘Gardeners’ World’; ‘Ground Force’, which at its peak pulled in 12 million viewers; ‘How To Be A Gardener’; ‘The Royal Gardeners’; ‘British Isles - A Natural History’; and ‘The Gardener’s Year’.

The exhibition is sponsored by Waitrose Horticulture. Emma Coupe, Waitrose Horticultural Manager, said: 'Alan’s expert knowledge and passion for gardens and gardening is unrivalled. His personal narrative to this very special exhibition will give a truly unique and informative look at the things which have encouraged and shaped the nation’s love of gardening. We are delighted to be involved with the exhibition and hope it will inspire people out into their gardens!’.